This invention relates to a cartridge valve with a vacuum breaker, and particularly relates to a cartridge valve for use in a faucet wherein the valve contains therein an integral atmospheric vacuum breaker.
In one type of water-flow control valve, a pair of generally flat, hard plates or disks, composed of, for example, ceramic, are placed compactly within a shell or housing with other components to form a cartridge valve. Each of the hard disks is formed with a highly polished surface which is placed in interfacing engagement with the polished surface of the other disk. One of the hard disks is movable within the housing and relative to the other disk which is fixed within the housing. A lever of the cartridge valve has portions which extend outward from the housing and portions which extend into the housing. Movement of the external portions of the lever facilitates rotary and translatory movement of the movable disk relative to the fixed disk within the housing.
Typically, a hot-water inlet conduit and a cold-water inlet conduit are attached to the cartridge housing for selectively supplying hot and/or cold water thereto. The hot and/or cold water is supplied through inlet holes formed through the fixed disk and into a mixing chamber or opening which is formed in the polished surface of the movable disk. The fixed disk is formed with an outlet hole which extends through the fixed disk for selective positioning with the mixing chamber to facilitate directing of the water, for example, from the chamber to a spout or spray head of a faucet unit, of which the cartridge valve is a part.
Historically, the cartridge valve has been designed so that the opening of the mixing chamber does not extend through the movable disk but is open selectively to the polished surface and the inlet and outlet holes of the fixed disk only. The highly polished surfaces of the movable and fixed disks provide a watertight seal which confines the water passage to the inlet and outlet openings of the fixed disks and the mixing chamber of the movable disk.
Cartridge valves of the type described above are typically compact with the components thereof being stacked and confined closely within the housing. Over the many years since the introduction of such cartridge valves, modifications have been made to the individual components of the valves. However, because of the compact nature of the cartridge valves, and the limited available space in the faucets into which such valves are typically mounted, few modifications have been made to the movable and fixed disks. Historically then, the fixed disk has been formed with through holes and the movable disk has been formed with an opening which does not extend through the disk, as described above.
When faucet units include a spray head, either independently of the spout or from within the spout, water can be selectively directed to the spout or the spray head. Frequently, the spray head is used in the kitchen of a house when washing items, such as dishes, pots, pans, cutlery and the like. The items to be washed are placed into a sink into which water and soap are deposited and the items are washed by hand. The spray head is typically used to rinse the soapy water, from the washed item, into the sink. Eventually, the water in the sink becomes dirty from the food residue being washed from the dishes.
During the period of using the spray head to rinse the items being washed, the person washing the items frequently will place the spray head, in the operating condition, into the dirty water whereby clean water exits from the spray head into the water in the sink.
It is possible that a sudden pressure drop, sometimes referred to as a "negative pressure," may occur in the pressure of the water being supplied to the valve. In this instance, the relative pressure levels between the dirty water in the sink and the incoming clean water reverses significantly to the extent that the dirty water is drawn, or syphoned, into the spray head. A drop in pressure of this nature could occur, for example, because of a break in a nearby water main, or by firemen drawing water from a local fire hydrant to extinguish a fire. With this reversal of water flow, the dirty water is drawn into the spray head, through the valve, into the inlet conduits and mixed with the potable water within the house which could reappear when other faucets within the house are used.
To preclude the occurrence of the reverse water flow, systems were developed some years ago which introduce atmospheric pressure into the inlet conduits to neutralize the effects of the negative pressure and to effectively "break" the vacuum. Typically, these systems are referred to as vacuum breakers. An early example of a vacuum breaker is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,056,418, which issued on Oct. 2, 1962. The valve shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,056,418 is commonly referred to as a "ball valve" which is movable within a valve chamber formed in a valve body. With selective movement of the ball valve, incoming hot and/or cold water is directed into a mixing chamber, defined by the hollow interior of the ball valve, and then into an outlet line. The vacuum breaker, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,056,418, includes a bore is formed in the valve body, below the ball valve, and contains a floating ball which reacts to the development of negative pressure in the water supply line. This allows air at atmospheric pressure to be introduced through the bore into the inlet lines to negate the effects of the negative pressure.
More recently, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,661, which issued on Feb. 21, 1989, a ball valve of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,056,418 was modified to include a flap valve within the hollow interior of the ball valve to function as a vacuum breaker. In this context, the vacuum breaker is located within the normally hollow interior of the valve rather than being formed in the valve housing below the ball valve.
In the past, attempts have been made to provide a vacuum breaker with valves of the cartridge type described above. As noted above, a cartridge valve of this type includes two interfacing generally flat, hard disks located compactly within a housing with other compactly located components of the valve. Because of the compact assembly of the components within the housing of a cartridge valve, there appears to be no opportunity for including a vacuum breaker within the cartridge valve. Several embodiments of a vacuum breaker used in conjunction with a cartridge valve are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,483, which issued on Nov. 13, 1990. In each of the embodiments, an elastic body functions in the manner of a one-way valve to provide an anti-syphon device. However, in each embodiment, the elastic body is located outside of the cartridge valve with the components of the valve remaining in an unmodified compact arrangement within the housing of the cartridge.
Another recently developed vacuum breaker system, for use with a cartridge valve, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,957, which issued on Jul. 19 1994, and which is assigned to the assignee of this application. In the vacuum breaker of U.S. Pat. No. 5,329,957, a manifold and a module having an umbrella valve assembled therewith are assembled below the cartridge. The umbrella valve responds to the development of a negative pressure and functions to neutralize the effects thereof. Again, the responsive elements are located outside of the cartridge valve, with the components of the valve remaining in an unmodified compact arrangement within the housing of the cartridge.
As noted above, vacuum breakers were designed many years ago for use with valves of faucet systems and, more recently, for use with cartridge valves. However, such vacuum breakers have been external of the cartridge valves, thereby requiring additional space in the overall valve assembly. Consequently, there is a need for a cartridge valve which includes a vacuum breaker located compactly within the housing of the cartridge valve.